Are you doing the whole 13 hours in one day?

yes. we're psycho that way.

Unfortunately there's only so much you can do to accomodate the little guy. The big thing that freaks kids out is being pinned down like that - especially when you're young and just figuring out how to explore the world.

Taking some planned breaks, engaging him in the trip (don't know if he can see out the window) and having some familiar toys or foods will all help but aren't sure-fire remedies.

All of our kids handled traveling differently - Emma nearly brought us to insanity on one trip while Liam asks to get back into the van after a long road trip.

We've done all the things you mentioned (DVD, toys, Benadryl, etc.). But like Dave said, each kid can be different and unpredictable from time to time. For some reason with Isabel every time we took a long car trip she'd start cutting a tooth.

With the DVD player I'd try to hold out using it as long as you can...because once you start it then you might have to play it longer than you hoped. I think I have the Wiggles movie memorized. We have a bunch of Baby Einstein DVD's if you need to borrow any.

With the Benadryl, I'd say to administer the dosage about a half hour to fifteen minutes before you stop for dinner. That way, by the time you get back on the road he'll be dozing off for the remainder of the trip.

One thing to also caution you on is the need to stay flexible. If he falls asleep for his afternoon nap, then stopping 20 minutes later for a gas/potty break will likely wake him up and make it harder to go back down.

If you can arrange a spot in the back seat where someone can actually sit back there, then it can help immensely. We've got two, so that's not an option until we get a minivan (hopefully next year), but I recall when it was just Aidan that getting Pam in the back seat was the only thing that calmed him down.

A lot of people like to drive at night so their kids are asleep (i.e., leave in the middle of the night). We tried that once, but were so exhausted the next day that I would have rather dealt with a cranky kid and be well rested.

Okay, I don't mean to be all judgmental here or anything, because the truth is that I called my ped last week regarding the Benedryl issue (which he didn't approve of, by the way)... But what makes it okay to purposefully sedate a kid for travelling purposes? If we'd do it on the road, why not do it on a rough afternoon where mom is way overtired and dad won't be home until midnight? Just throwing this out there and wondering how to justify sedating a baby...

I should add that pseudafed (sp?) snows my kid under and that I have TOTALLY considered bringing it on our plane trip next week. So I'm not *above* considering this issue.

good question. I'd justify it on a "it's for your own good" basis. if it's not going to harm him, and will in fact make the circumstances better for all parties (especially him) then I'd be for giving it a shot in extreme cases (like a day long trip or illness). no way I'd use it if we're just having a rough day, because it'd be only for my good, not his.

We have been practicing for the long road trip...lol We've taken Cate on small trips and have gone farther each time to get her ready (we hope). The farthest we've gone so far is 5 hours roundtrip, next week we fly out and then have a few 2-3hour driving trips and then the following week we have a 10 hour ride roundtrip. We're working up till Thanksgiving for the 12 hour+ trip each way...LOL Good luck, hope all goes well!

Earplugs :-) for mom and dad. I've never heard of sedating a child before a road trip though I do agree that it is asking a lot for a little one to sit pinned down for 13 hours. It was a lot different when I was a kid. It used to be that kids could play on the floor and drive on Dad’s lap. Back to the Benadryl, it seems strange to me to sedate a baby like that but I guess I see your point. Not to draw a comparison but I guess they do sedate animals to keep them calm and from totally freaking out and 13 hours is a long time. Maybe rum and coke would be better than Benadryl.

Though, I think I would just have to forgo to trip until the little one was better able to handle it.

Wwe've done a good deal of driving for weddings and such, and Kate has a three hour riding limit before she needs human contact, stretching, to eat and play and then she can go again. (The break usually lasts about 45 minutes.) I consider her a n excellent car baby, she never fusses in the car on a trip less than 2.5 hours or so. So, I would plan a lot of stopping points or drive at night.

I am an extended rear-facing carseat person, so I would hesitate to switch the seat, myself. It is 500% safer rear facing until a babe is 30 lbs. or so. This website has a lot of good info. Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death of children aged 1-5 in the USA (but not for those under 1, when rear facing seats are required by law). It's definitely up to you.

Keep a seat empty beside Caleb so you or Michelle can ride back there at points and play with him. Keep one of the new toys only for the car ride.

Or, get yourself a good luggage carrier and strap him to the top of the car. I'm sure Damon could help you rig something up to act as a windshield and safety device.

Have fun!

On the Benadryl issue, when we asked our pediatrician about it he replied, "That's what Benadryl is for." Of course, you're going to get myriads of opinions on this, but know that you are not going to physically harm Caleb. Pam's dad is a doctor and said that it is nearly impossible to overdose a kid on Benadryl. In fact, the amount it would take is so ridiculously large that you would know you're doing something wrong.

Regarding benadryl: We don't leave home without it.
Here's the thing: You're not giving him something you wouldn't give him anyway for a runny nose or bee sting. It's a safe children's medication that you probably wouldn't think twice about giving him if he has a cold or itchy rash, and for a kid who is not old enough to read or color and is essentially built to move, it is practically torture to strap them down and insist that they be happy that way when they can just sleep through most of it instead.
I also LOVE our dvd player. I know not everyone approves, but not everyone has traveled with five kids, strapped down, pre-reading/coloring age. It's a small space and they are very restricted in movement (it's hard to even color or play games in a car seat where you can't bend to pick up a dropped crayon, etc)and in our pre-dvd days I was exhausted for days after a car trip from entertaining the kids and constantly retrieving things for them that they can't reach from their car seat/booster.
I say, drug 'em and drive!

PS :) Driving during all night is a killer, but we've found two successful alternatives:
1)Leave very early (2-4 am). Steve's a morn person, I'm a night owl. We usually let the kids stay up late, but Stephen goes to bed early. I stay up with the kids and we pack the car and clean the house. I have actually stayed up cleaning and packing until 2 or 3, and then I load the kids, wake Stephen, and go to sleep in the car. He takes it from there. The kids fall back asleep pretty quickly and by the time they wake up around 8 or so, you've got a third of the trip out of the way. A few hours of entertaining them, lunch, and then it's nap time. You also arrive earlier in the day so that the excitement of the new place can wane before bedtime.
2) Leave at lunch time. This is actually my favorite. Feed 'em a good lunch, then head out just before nap time. They sleep the first 2-3 hours of the trip, then wake up ready to play with car toys or watch a movie. By the time they start getting bored, its supper time. Stop somewhere with a play ground or picnic table for supper. Then everyone in pjs and back in the car. A movie takes them to bedtime, and then they sleep the rest of the trip. Leaving at noon on a 12-13 hr trip puts you arriving midnight-2, which isn't as bad as driving all night.

yeah we have no qualms, esp. since our ped. approves. and scott hooked us up with a bunch of baby einsteins (which mesmerize him (and us too for that matter) like nothing else), so we'll use that as the first line of defense, and hit him with the meds if needed. a big thanks to scott and fam for letting us use those.

we're gonna try the leave at o-dark-thirty. pack the last-minute stuff, wake up the kid, give him a bottle, head out, and hope that he sleeps for a while. we usually cant sleep the night before a big trip anyway. we shall see.

WE ALWAYS LEFT DURING THE DARK OF THE MORNING. FOR THE SLEEPIES, I USED TO CHEW PRETZLES, BUT NOW DISCOVERED CORN NUTS ( WHICH COME IN A VARIETY OF FLAVORS, THOUGH I LIKE ORIGIONAL).LOVE TO EVERYONE.UB&AB